New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-15
CIRCUS spLENDoRs IN ABUNDANCE

TIE BARNuM AND FoREPAUGH COMBINATION OPENS
ITS BIG sHow-soME OF THE NEW FEATURES.
The great Burnum and Forepaugh Combination
show opeued Yesterday In Madison Square GeIden ID
q burst of dazzling spectacular splsndor' the Dig
picture of circus gores which has covered the soutn
wall of the Garden for the past week being al last
put in life and motion within. Never before, as tne
managers Justly state has show been tried on 30
vast scale, with so many trained animals, 80 many
skiIed perfor mers SO huge display OF equestrian
acrobatic rapeze and trick teats, simultaneous many
of them, and all compressed into the imts OF TWO
hours and halt performances. There were yesterday
IA usual three circus rings in the Garden ana one
elevated stage In the show bill were eighteen distinct
breaks and in most OF the divisions there were iour
mecca making in all about seventy separate aus.
The Garden was bi oxen into two unequa parts IoI
the circus and the mensgerle the wild beasts except
OF the elephants the museum ana , ~ som
beng shut of at the eastern end py hu9e reu
curtain The tourply circns had some 700 iee' ces
from; the curtain to the Madison Avenue end. Tue
boxes fronting on the hippodrome course were rmeu
IN red and the pill ars and beams were hung WIN nnss
and emblems. Two bands divided the iaooi VI an,
ing the SPECTATORS and setting the pace for the rGg
From the edge The elpse back to the caves Vi 1o
building stretch d thousand OF seats a rev were
dense black mass of spectators at night. To the
AVERAGE circus goer who tries to see every anu
is disappo nted he cannot the biz combination SNOW
ia aimnIv overwhelming. The Garden merely swims
half the time with canteTing horses. leaping pare
backed riders twisting and squirming acrobats nyng
trapeZe clowns In motley anu
One ought TO 90 times to the show, to say nothing
OF the iOnt menagerie, to see II all. 80
Amid all this whirl and confusion one or Two things
should be picked out for special praise. The swim,
ming OF the Beckwths in pool under the elevated
stage and especially the imitation OF on attempt 10
rescne drowning man, b. ought down the spectators
and especially the gallery gods" One OF the
swimmers Owed into the pool with loose suit on and
a cigar in his mouth and appeared haii minute rler
with the clothes of and the cigar still lit Adam Fore
paugh r made good deal OF fun, TOO, III bis DOING nm
bout with "John L. Sullivan trick elephant Inc
elephant had glove on his trunk, and Mr. Forepangn
two on lis fists. The clown was knocked out
twice and the elephant once. but the olg oeast
victory became decisive wnen he "sugged the
trainer clear across the wall OF the ring Eight OF
Mr.. Forepaughs elephants also danced a quadrlile
under his direction and Waited in good time TO the
bands music. The elephants made up band OF
their own in tact. and played Tor few minutes. But
they would scarcely get living by making music IN
tho streets The SibOns, trapeze performers two
men and two women, diG some astonishing new leafs
at the end OF the circus But all OF it delightful
and ron through smoothly. Even the supes, IN
crush hats and dress coats. goOdlooknS ana tle
clowns CONSIDERABLY omitted jokes. ,
There Will be two performances daily during the
season of six weeks special half hour has been set
aside for children to visit the menagerie